Researchers from Georgetown University Medical Center questioned whether medicines prescribed to help with diseases such as epilepsy, pain, and mood disorders have behavioral side effects later in life. In order to determine whether or not these drugs have behavioral side effects, the GUMC scientists conducted experiments that tested these drugs on infant rats . They discovered that these drugs kill neurons in the brain and some of the tested medications did cause behavioral abnormalities later in life. However, some of these drugs did not have this behavioral effect. Therefore, more research will need to be done in order to help doctors decide which drugs they should prescribe to their patients to treat epilepsy, pain, and mood disorders.
Socratic Seminar
-Would you take these kind of medicines even if you knew that there was a risk that you could have behavior abnormalities later in your life?
-If you were a doctor, would you prescribe these medicines to your patients knowing this?
-If you could come up with any alternative, what would it be?
-Should the government ban these medicines?
-Do you think that testing on rats is a good way of finding out what side effects the medication may have on humans? And would you trust the results?
-If you think that testing on rats is not a good idea, is there some other thing/being you would test on instead?By Aliza, Irena, and Reuben. Section 1
Acknowledgements: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091020161952.htm#at for the article and http://www.physorg.com/newman/gfx/news/fatskinnylab.jpg for the picture.
Posts
Wow, I must say that it would be unbelievably unethical for these drugs to be left on the market if they do indeed cause problems later in life. I think that those drug companies should do thorough research on all of their products before they hit the market. Lastly, if I were the FDA I would put more strict regulations on those drug companies.
ReplyDelete